Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
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AHRQ's Commitment to Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria, fungi, viruses, or parasites become resistant to treatments. AMR is becoming a national threat. Bacterial resistance (a type of AMR known as antibiotic resistance), has been noted since soon after the discovery of penicillin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause 2.8 million illnesses and approximately 35,000 deaths each year in the United States alone.
Research Funding Available
AHRQ is actively supporting research and implementation projects to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (CARB) across diverse healthcare settings. Our Healthcare-Associated Infections Program has funding available for—
- CARB large research projects (R01) that provide evidence to assess the effectiveness of CARB-related interventions or advancing our understanding of epidemiological factors.
- CARB demonstration and dissemination projects (R18) that are designed to spread effective interventions more broadly or explore issues related to implementation and adoption.
Each grant is eligible for up to $500,000 per year in funding for a maximum of 5 years.
AHRQ's Role in National Efforts
These research investments support the goals and priorities of the National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, a coordinated and strategic national approach to curb antibiotic resistance. AHRQ specifically supports the National Action Plan in three ways:
- Funding research on infection prevention, combating antibiotic resistance, and finding new ways to improve the use of antibiotics.
- Translating significant findings from this research into practical resources that help practitioners improve how care is actually delivered to patients.
- Investing in research on how best to integrate Food and Drug Administration-approved new and existing diagnostics into clinical care to identify antibiotic-resistant infections and inform appropriate treatment.
AHRQ's support for CARB includes participation in the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, a federal advisory council that provides advice, information, and recommendations on antimicrobial resistance. Read more:
- National Action Plan for CARB, 2020-2025 (PDF, 7 MB).
- National Action Plan for CARB, 2015-2020 (PDF, 519 KB).
- Latest Progress Report (PDF, 2.5 MB).
- Summary of Federal CARB Efforts.
Learn more about AHRQ-funded projects to improve antibiotic use and reduce antimicrobial resistance.
